Better Than Cloud Gazing
by Iwannabeamongoose
Summary: Watching the clouds is about as good as life gets for Shikamaru. What happens when his routine is disrupted and he is forced to spend time with 'the most troublesome woman he knows? Is she really that bad? ShikaTem. Rated T for violence and making out.
1. A troublesome assignment

**Better Than Cloud Gazing**

**Author's Note: This is my 1.5th fanfic, considering I started it when I was halfway through my first (which isn't turning out so great), so I am still far from experienced. Shikamaru's thoughts are in italics, Temari's are bold. This is started out as a one shot, but got longer and longer. I guess it's a short story now. Keep in mind I am new to the submission system, so there will probably be some formatting errors. Flames are not exactly encouraged, but anything that helps would be great. (Whacks self with frying pan) STOP DRABBLING, NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR IT!!! **

**Without further adieu, I present "Better Than Cloud Gazing"**

Blood dripped from a hole in Shikamaru's shoulder, trickling down his chuunin vest, transforming its color from lime green to mottled brown. Bounding from branch to branch, he looked over his shoulder every few seconds, making sure they hadn't caught up. It didn't take Shikamaru's genius IQ to know that he was in deep, deep, trouble. In the last hour, two strong, well trained ninja had jumped him, beaten the crap out of him, and were now chasing him through the forest. As if that weren't bad enough for one afternoon, a certain _troublesome _kunoichi from Suna was also with him, sharing his peril. It was hard to believe that this time yesterday he had been living his normal life. _How did it come to this?_

_**Flashback (and I mean a REALLY LONG FLASHBACK, not over until 'End Flashback')**_

A slight breeze wafted through the clearing, making it look like all the blades of grass were bowing to the single tree that towered over them. It was a normal, scorching Konoha Summer and most of the Konoha ninja were either out partying or on missions. A sole chuunin sat with his head resting against the wooden trunk, kept cool by the tree's shade. Shikamaru was again enviously watching the clouds as they floated weightlessly through the sky. _They don't have to worry about work. Lucky things._ Sighing, he decided it was time to get to his appointment with the Hokage. Body protesting, the chuunin rose stiffly and removed a dandelion that was tangled in his hair. Slightly sad to be dragged away from his favorite activity, Shikamaru rubbed his thighs, which were just as unhappy to be moved as he was. Hands in his pockets, Shikamaru left the clearing, wondering what mission he would be burdened with this time.

Konoha was buzzing with the news that there would be two visitors from Suna, invited to stay for an undisclosed amount of time. Apparently, with the alliance between the Hidden Villages of Leaf and Sand being threatened by invading Sound and Mist ninja, the Kazekage had sent his brother and sister to Konoha as ambassadors and extra defenders. Shikamaru wondered what this had to do with him as he walked slowly to Tsunade's office. Strolling through the hallways, an impassive look on his face, he noticed several of the Hokage's assistants giggling at him. _That's kind of weird. Do they know something I don't?. _Brushing it off, Shikamaru continued, until he stood in front of the heavy wooden door. Yawning, he opened it and froze, eyelids twitching in total surprise.

"Hey, Pineapple-head." came a familiar voice. His heart sank. _Please, no._

Standing next to Tsunade was a kunoichi with dark blonde hair and a fierce complexion, a teasing expression present on her face. Right then and there, Shikamaru wanted to lie on the floor and pound on it like a child until he was relieved of his task. Of course, the unpitying Kami and Tsunade had seen fit to stick Shikamaru with Temari, yet again as her guide.

Shikamaru responded with a soft growl of annoyance. _What the hell does she need a guide for anyways? It seems like every time I turn around, this troublesome woman is here doing everything humanly possible to annoy me. Hey, you know I wonder... Does she ever actually leave Konoha, or does she hide out in a box for a few days before returning on another "visit"? _

Even still, rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth, he decided that arguing would be too troublesome. So he faced that evil sand-witch's smirk like a man. Well, at least like a man who complained like a whiny child and was really a lazy teenager.

Grumbling "troublesome" every few words, he reluctantly led her out the door, and through the hallways, shooting death glares at the secretaries who had been giggling at him minutes ago. Finally reaching the exit, Shikamaru was grateful to feel the cool breeze on his forehead. His relief was short-lived however, as his charge emerged beside him and stared expectantly at him. "Well, I believe this is the part where you give me a tour of the village, right?"

Groaning in annoyance, Shikamaru wearily took Temari through the crowded streets, pointing out all of Konoha's monuments... again. Even though she knew everything about the village, Temari took pleasure in prodding him in the ribs before asking him question after question that she already knew the answer to. Grinning evilly, Temari continued to make it a very hard day for Shikamaru, and a very enjoyable one for her. **Oh, I have a feeling that this is going to be an EXTREMELY fun stay in Konoha.**

When Shikamaru thought his head was going to explode if he had to endure anymore inquiries, he decided that he needed a respite. Watching Temari every step of the way, the controller of shadows slipped off while she was admiring a vendor's ornate fans. Tiptoeing off the street, Shikamaru took one last glance at her and let out a sigh of relief. _Finally, some peace!!! _He quietly jumped from tree to tree before landing in his favorite clearing and flopping down with his head against a wooden trunk. _She won't find me here._ Remembering the last few hours of misery, and the many more that were to come, Shikamaru look imploringly towards the heavens. _Kami, if you possess an ounce of mercy, turn me into a cloud for one day. Just ONE day... _

He knew this was too much to ask, but he liked to think it might be possible. _Maybe in the afterlife..._ Massaging his temples gently, Shikamaru felt his headache slowly subside. Gazing up, Shikamaru smiled peacefully, taking great pleasure in the serenity. As the lazy ninja closed his eyes and breathed in calmly, someone shouted directly into his ear.

"I don't think looking at clouds was included in your job obligations, you Baka!"

Yelping in fright, Shikamaru jumped ten feet in the air and clung to a branch, looking down at Temari, who was glaring up at him, with her hands on her hips. _Where did she come from? Damn, I didn't even sense her. She must have gotten much stronger..._

" I didn't scare you, did I, Shika-kun?" Temari clasped her hands innocently and cocked an eyebrow.

"Bah, troublesome woman" was all Shikamaru said before leaping down and brushing himself off. Temari, thinking she'd won, started to walk away, expectantly waiting for him to follow. He did no such thing. Instead, when she turned around he was back in his original position, the picture of relaxation complete with a piece of grass hanging slightly out of his mouth. Chest rising and falling slowly, he looked like he had been lying there for at least an hour. Temari clenched her fists and felt steam come out of her ears. **Oh, he's gonna get it. **When he nonchalantly opened one eye, then closed it again, she lost it.

"SHIKAMARU, YOU JACKASS!" She made sure he didn't see her small smile before she tackled him and began to beat him to a pulp. One hand grabbing his shirt collar, the other raised in preparation for a punch, Temari was surprised when another man appeared in a puff of smoke. Asuma blinked a couple times as he surveyed the scene. There was his number one pupil pinned beneath a very attractive woman. Not to mention, the 'very attractive woman' on top of him was the Kazekage's sister. He grinned and winked at the pair before placing a scroll beside Shikamaru's head. Now that his duty as a jounin was done, he took it upon himself to fulfill his duty as a mentor and father figure. Asuma began to rummage around in his pocket for something his student would probably need.

"Where are they...? Hmmmm, let's see... Got 'em! Now remember Shikamaru, always practice safe sex." Laughing gleefully and hopping from foot to foot, much like Jiraiya did so often, Asuma threw a square wrapper containing a rubbery circle at them. "But that doesn't mean you can't have fun. By all means, continue. I was never here." Asuma gave one last wink and disappeared right before a large rock whizzed past where his head had been.

His face beet-red, Shikamaru noticed the shapely legs on either side of his waist and saw why Asuma had assumed what he had assumed. Eyes traveling up to Temari's face, he couldn't help but notice her supple breasts hanging there like tantalizing fruits. Disturbed at his own perversion, all Shikamaru could think was: _My Kami... umm... Well,... she's certainly grown. _Trying to master his body's reaction, he looked up to see Temari frozen in embarrassment.

"Ummm... Hallooooooo?" he waved a hand in front of her face. It was a good thing she hadn't noticed him ogling her, or else he would have been in a world of hurt. "You can get off now." _ Not as if I wasn't enjoying myself... BAD THOUGHTS. NO BAD THOUGHTS. GAHHH!!! _

Temari finally snapped back to reality before looking away and quickly getting off of him. _Maybe she will leave me alone for a while..._ Looking for a way to shift the blame, she gave him a death glare before punching him in the face. "YOU PERVERT!" _ Or not... _

As Shikamaru lay twitching on the ground, Temari sat cross-legged and tried to compose herself, a figurative whirlwind passing through her head. **Ugh... Why did I tackle him? I hope he didn't notice that blush. Wait a minute, when did he get such a solid chest? And he's gotten so tall... EWWWWWW!!! Don't think about him like that... He's still just a stupid pineapple head. Aww. but he's a cute pineapple head. YUCK!!!**

Sighing, Temari rose and dragged Shikamaru up, noticing a steady stream of blood coming from his nose. She felt a pang of regret for socking him, but decided that he had definitely deserved it. **Even still...** "I'm sorry, I got carried away." Staring at her feet, she offered him her handkerchief.

"Troublesome woman." Shikamaru muttered his catch phrase, but gratefully took the piece of cloth and pressed it to his face. Remembering the scroll, Shikamaru kept one hand on his damaged nose and tried to open the piece of paper with the other. Fumbling with it, he just couldn't manage to tear off the wax seal.

"Idiot. Gimme that." Temari snatched the scroll away from him and opened it with ease, ignoring the heir to the Nara Clan's protests. Slumping back down in resignation, Shikamaru watched her aquamarine eyes as they intelligently scanned the page. _Ne, why have I never noticed? She has pretty eyes... Cheh, still too troublesome for me. _

Temari finished reading and glanced up, catching Shikamaru looking at her. A slow, almost seductive smile crept across her face as he pretended to look at a bird behind her. She tossed him the scroll before smiling evilly.

"Guess what, crybaby? You get to spend some more quality time with your favorite person! Aren't you excited, Shika-kun?" She cooed the last few words, just to see him flinch.

Shikamaru read and reread the scroll to make sure he hadn't misunderstood it. Giving out a loud groan he furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance and glanced sideways at Temari. _Damn. More time with her? _Despairing the thought of even less alone time, Shikamaru looked beseechingly at the heavens._ Kami? Are you there? What did I do wrong to earn such spite? When I die, will I be transported to a realm with only my Mother, Temari, Ino, and Naruto? Unnn, I don't even want to think about that possibility... _

It was just his luck. An intel report had suggested that enemy ninja were somewhere in the surrounding woods, so extra patrols were being sent out. In addition, to strengthen the bond between Suna and Konoha, the Chuunin from Suna were being paired with their guides and sent on these patrols. Shikamaru moaned again when he saw the departure time: 5:30 AM the next morning. Temari playfully patted him on the back in a gesture of mock comforting.

"There there. Tell you what, _Shika-kun. _I'll make you a special deal. Take me to dinner and I won't bug you for the rest of the day..." She crouched down beside him and teasingly flicked his injured nose lightly, waiting for his response. After a brief moment of consideration, Shikamaru gave a sigh of annoyance and replied.

"Meh, woman, why are you so troublesome? All right, all right." He trailed off and paused before scratching the back of his head. "Uh, where do you want to go?" Temari beamed and brushed a strand of sandy hair out of her face. She shrugged her shoulders and beckoned for him to get up.

"Let's take a walk. I'm sure we'll find some place..." She walked away, hips swaying just enough to attract the attention of her guide. Trying not to get up to quickly, Shikamaru followed her, hands shoved deep inside his pockets. Despite himself, a small smile crept onto his face. Temari stopped and turned around, a slightly impatient look on her face.

"Hurry up, Crybaby. I'm starving." Temari waited for him to catch up and fall into stride with her. She smiled to herself. **Now I remember why Konoha is so entertaining. **The odd pair trudged back into the crowded streets, in search of a restaurant neither wanted to find too quickly.

For a while, they just walked, sometimes in silence, other times making small talk. Finally, Temari's stomach gave a growl so loud it cut Shikamaru off in mid sentence. At first taken aback with surprise, he gave a small smirk, before making a motherly tut-tutting sound.

"Why Temari-_Chan, _how unladylike. You being ambassador of Suna and all, I expected better manners. In fact, I'm so offended, I'm afraid I've lost my appetite. I bid you goodnight. " Shikamaru sidestepped a punch and put his hands up, his english gentleman expression replaced by one of resigned indignation. "Ok, ok, you troublesome woman. Uhh, let's see. Well, there's a pretty good ramen place just around the corner. Are you satisfied?" Temari glared at him but followed him in. **He thinks he's won, but I will have my revenge... MWAHAHAHAHA**

Shikamaru waved nonchalantly to the waitress before plopping down at the nearest booth. Temari sat down across from him and began flicking hastily through the menu. Shikamaru just crossed his arms, cocked an eyebrow and watched her intently. Something about her fascinated him... Before he could think further on the subject, the waitress arrived, a hideously toothy grin on her face.

"Well, what do we have here? You two make quite the odd couple. Oh, they always say young love is the most passionate. Shikamaru, you sly dog, are you dating the Hidden Village of Sand's ambassador?"Both the lazy and fierce ninja looked up angrily at the woman and yelled in unison. "NO!"

The waitress just giggled to herself and asked what they'd like to eat. Shikamaru ordered a simple bowl of soba before laying back and closing his eyes with his hands behind his head. His moment of peace was disturbed when he heard what Temari was ordering.

"I'd like a bowl of champon, two orders of tempora, one of Karaage, and a bowl of soba to finish it off. Thank you." Shikamaru's eye's bugged out and he gaped at the woman in front of her, she only raised her eyebrows and smiled sweetly back at him. **REVENGE! HAHAHA!**

Regaining his composure, Shikamaru exhaled in annoyance and frowned slightly.

"Ne, are you trying to eat me out of house and home? I guess it makes sense. The most troublesome women always have the biggest appetites." Temari tried to contain her laughter as she replied in a tone mimicking his earlier statement.

"Why Shika-_kun, _how unmanly. I believe it is common courtesy for a man to pay for the meal of a woman dining with him. Unless, I suppose you are not a man?" She glanced in his direction to see whether her insult had had its intended effect. Judging from the purple hue of the lazy man's face, it had. Temari's face lit up in mock discovery.

"My Kami! I got it right, didn't I Shika-_chan?_ This explains so much! Do Chouji and Ino know? What about your parents?" She almost rolled on the floor with laughter at his expression. She'd won this round.

Before he could get in any good retorts, the food arrived; a small bowl for Shikamaru and a heaping mass of platters for Temari. Grumbling, Shikamaru slowly began to eat his dinner. _Why does she always get to me like that? She really knows how to press a Nara's buttons. Hell, I bet she'd get on great with my mother... _Temari on the other hand paused briefly to rub her hands together in anticipation, before wolfing down her food at a speed even Naruto would find alarming. **HEE HEE. VICTORY! **

Midway through their dinner they focused their attention away from the food and continued verbally sparring. It went pretty evenly, as the number one analysts from Konoha and Suna found themselves enjoying the dinner. _Hn. For a troublesome, loud mouthed kunoichi, she's pretty sharp. Maybe these few days won't be so bad. _

After a couple hours, the restaurant started to close down, and they were forced back into the warm Summer night. Determined not to let Temari see that he was having a good time, Shikamaru put on his 'I'm bored and annoyed' face and followed close behind her. Temari looked over her shoulder and gave him a coy smile.

"Well, I know how much you're enjoying my company, but I'll keep my promise. One Temari-free evening for you." She started to walk off, but Shikamaru found himself unconsciously looking for a reason to accompany her farther.

"Hey, do you know how to get to your hotel?" Shikamaru mentally slapped himself. He was acting like a lovesick puppy. Temari turned slowly around, a small smile on her face. She had stayed there many times and of course knew the way, but something stopped her from saying 'yes'.

"Hmm, actually I don't. Oh honorable Shikamaru-sama, would you lead a poor, helpless lady there?" Shikamaru did his best to contain a laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched slightly; something Temari did not fail to notice. An expression of satisfaction on her face, she started moving towards the hotel. Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow as he noticed something. _She's walking in front of me. She does know the way. Un. Troublesome woman. I could be in bed by now. _Despite his conclusion, he continued to follow her.

Noticing the brief expression of puzzlement on Shikamaru followed by a small rolling of his eyes, Temari raised her eyebrows at no one in particular. **Hn. He figured out I know where I'm going. And yet, he's still following me... Do you want to tell me something, Shikamaru? **

Somewhat tired out from her day of annoying her guide, Temari was happy with just walking beside him, enjoying the cool air and the chirping of crickets. **There aren't any crickets in Suna...** Shikamaru noticed that she wasn't yelling or even talking and looked over to make sure she wasn't really an enemy ninja in disguise. He was surprised to see a look of calm appreciation on her face. _She's even prettier at night. Oh wow. I didn't just think that. Ok, Shikamaru, it's just the hormones talking, that's all. _

They continued walking, Temari enjoying the Konoha night, Shikamaru sneaking glances at her. To both of their disappointment, they soon arrived at the hotel's front doors. An evil thought popped into Temari's head. **I'll give him a proper 'goodnight'. I have enough energy to fluster him one more time tonight. **She whirled around suddenly and threw her arms around his neck, bringing her body closer and closer to him until the were pressed tightly together. Shikamaru, taken aback, was frozen, eyebrows twitching, sweat drops pouring down the back of his head. He could feel the gentle pressure of her soft chest against his. Her scent, a mix of smoke and desert flowers, drove him crazy. At a loss for words, he could only blubber like an idiot as she cooed softly in his ear.

"Thank you for dinner, crybaby. See you early tomorrow." She smiled once more at him, before jogging up the steps and entering the hotel. Even after she had left, Shikamaru was left shivering for a few minutes before he could move. Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Shikamaru began walking home while contemplating the day's events. _That felt... for lack of a better word, good... I don't understand. How can the most troublesome girl in my life make me feel like that? _Shikamaru spent the rest of his trip home trying to find an answer to that question, but could not. When he entered the door, he cringed as a loud voice rang through the house.

"SHIKAMARU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING COMING HOME SO LATE?!? I HEARD YOU HAVE A MISSION EARLY TOMORROW? GO TO BED RIGHT NOW!!!

_Damn it. From one troublesome woman to another. Just my luck... Unnnnnn, my head hurts._ Not bothering to reply, Shikamaru stumbled up to his room and collapsed face down on his bed. Pictures of Temari floated through his mind as he could not stop thinking about her. Her voice, how she smelled, how she felt. _I wonder if this is how dad felt around mom. This is so weird. It's gotta be hormones, that's it. But then why haven't I felt this way around Konoha girls? _

Shikamaru finally abandoned denying it. He felt something special for the exotic sand ninja. _I guess it runs in the Nara bloodline. Hn, strong, troublesome women. I still don't understand how this can be the first time I feel this way for someone. Well, no girls here ever pay me any attention. I am too lazy and dull. They'd much rather chase after some 'hunk' like Sasuke. Sigh. Temari is the only girl I know (besides Hinata) who doesn't spend all her time obsessing over dicks like Sasuke. Come to think of it, besides Ino, Temari is the girl I have spent the most time with. Damn it, those eyes, that voice, that evil smile,... and sigh those curves. Not to mention, when it comes to wits, she's the only girl I know who can keep up with me. Ugh. I hate being confused. I don't get it. According to Asuma-sensei, I'm a strategic genius who can solve complicated problems in the blink of an eye. Why is it that a simple woman problem comes around, and my head feels like it's going to explode? ...Maybe it isn't so simple, I mean, for instance, even if I am in love with her, what's to say she feels even remotely the same? Un... this was a most troublesome day. _Shikamaru finally settled into sleep. Even in his dreams he could not escape his troublesome woman.

Temari meanwhile, was also puzzled. Glad that she didn't have to share a room with her weirdo brother, she had taken a quick shower before changing into her favorite silky undergarments and slipping into bed. Although she knew she had a mission early the next mission, she couldn't sleep.

She had meant for the hug to make Shikamaru uncomfortable, but she had enjoyed it more than she should have. **He was the one who was supposed to be flustered, not me. But...** **When did he become so attractive? He smelled like a pine tree, and I never realized he had gotten so tall...** She found herself wondering why she spent so much time with him. It seemed that whenever she visited Konoha, fate threw them together. His usual words echoed inside her head. She felt her face soften into a smile when she remembered his quiet offer to walk her to her hotel.

**There is something different about him. He's the only person I've ever fought who's been able to beat me, and yet, when he had the chance to win, he gave up. I feel as if, even though he calls me 'troublesome woman', he notices me, sees me as an independent person, and, when forced into spending time with me, enjoys it more than he's willinig to admit. To everyone else, I'm just the daughter of the former Kazekage, or sister of the omnipotent Gaara and Kankuro, or, to all those bastard suitors, a ticket to an easy and powerful life. He's different. Ugh, I finally find someone who makes me feel good, and all I do is annoy the hell out of him. Come to think of it, the only time I feel as happy as I pretend to be is around him. I don't know. I feel isolated the rest of the time, like no one actually cares what happens to me. He may not show it all the time, but I can tell. He does. He's a real man. He's different. **

Temari stifled a yawn before looking at the clock. Midnight. **Ugh! I have to sleep. No doubt I'll have to pay Shikamaru a wakeup visit to make sure we leave on time. Stupid crybaby. **Finally, Temari fell asleep, her characteristic smirk present on her beautiful face.

**End of Chapter One**

**Author's Note: Cheh… uploading stories sure is troublesome work…**


	2. Wakeup Call

**Author's note:****Thank you for reading this far!!! Yay! Gaah the submission process is kinda hard for first timers… Well here is Chapter 2: Wake up Call**

Shikamaru lay peacefully on his back, sleeping soundly, a pillow clutched to his bare chest from some forgotten dream. Free of its band, his hair hung around his neck, bathing his shoulders in a cascade of dark chocolate. His bloodshot eyes shot open as his loud alarm blared, calling his name. Groaning and burying his head in the pillow, Shikamaru's brain started to boot up. _Unn, my alarm clock sounds like Temari. How annoying. HEY?!? WAIT A MINUTE! I JUST REMEMBERED! I DON'T HAVE A DAMN ALARM CLOCK! _

Groggily remembering his previous alarm clock's unfortunate encounter with a kunai, Shikamaru sat up in bed. There, sitting in a chair, long legs crossed, was, in fact, Temari . Shikamaru brushed a strand of hair out of his face and started to say something about her being troublesome when he remembered that he was clad only in boxers. _Oh, crap._ _That doesn't make for a great start to the day._

"Morning pineapple head. Oooo, I can't call you that right now. I like the hair." Raising her eyebrows, the woman from his dreams stared at his well toned chest and smiled impishly. "Well I take it back, Mr. Crybaby, you aren't that feminine. Nice chest. Not to mention those biceps." Temari mischievously licked her lips.

Quickly grabbing the covers up to his neck, Shikamaru stared, mouth opening and closing at his human wakeup call. Finally finding words and controlling his blush, the lazy ninja stammered back, "Do they have personal space in Suna? Umm...How long have you been here, you troublesome woman?" Temari teasingly narrowed her eyes and tapped herself in the temple a couple of times before replying.

"Long enough. Hm, what was it you kept muttering while you were dreaming.? Sounded like calimari, or maybe even _Temari? _You know, my Shika-_kun_, you're _so_ cute when you're asleep." Temari gave herself a mental high-five when she saw Shikamaru's blush change from pink to crimson. Shikamaru finally composed himself and gave her a shooing motion.

"Go away, troublesome woman. I need to get dressed." When she made no move to obey him, Shikamaru did his best imitation of his deer herding uncle's voice and waved his hand in annoyance. "Go on, git!" Temari protested before finally giving him privacy.

"Fine, Mr. Sensitive, but hurry up, it's 5:20." Temari gave him one last ogle before leaving his room. As soon as his door closed, Shikamaru dragged himself from bed and stumbled over to his closet. Grunting sleepily he pulled on his normal clothes, tied his hair up and fastened his forehead protector to his forearm. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the controller of shadows opened the door and joined his new teammate.

Creeping down the hallways, so as not to rouse screaming from Shikamaru's mother, the pair snuck glances at each other. Finally emerging into the crisp morning air, they locked eyes and nodded simultaneously before leaping over the village wall into the surrounding forests. Quickly pulling out the scroll, Shikamaru double checked the route they were supposed to take. _Routine patrol._ _This should be easy. I probably should worry more about Temari hurting me than some sound ninja. _Temari, bored out of her mind by the silence and monotony, decided to have a little fun in some friendly torment.

If the two had not been so caught up in each other, they might have noticed two high levels of chakra emanating from the dense foliage several hundred yards away. Instead, as they bounded from branch to branch, Shikamaru found himself unable to keep his eyes of the swaying of Temari's hips as she jumped and landed, while Temari was concentrating on putting on a good show for him. Watching their quarries flirt shamelessly, the two enemy Jounin practically licked their lips in anticipation of the upcoming battle. This was going to be easy. One of the sound ninja put a hand on his teammate's shoulder, calling dibs on the first strike. Stepping forward, he closed one eye and focused a mental scope on his enemies. When he had a bead on both of their bodies, he slowly put his scarred hands forward and brought them back suddenly. Hundreds of tiny lead balls laced with chakra sped towards their targets. The ninja sat back and watched, expecting a bloody one hit kill.

Luckily for both of them, Temari had noticed a sudden release of chakra and turned to the direction it had come from. Slashing her fan through the air, she sent a wave of energy towards the ninja. Because of the lack of concentration put into the attack, the wave met with the lead balls and only managed to deflect some of them, before dissipating into nothingness. Stunned that her attack had had such little effect, Temari stood there dumbfounded as the claymore jutsu grew closer.

Shikamaru, previously oblivious to what was going on, spurred himself into action. Grabbing Temari's numb form, he focused chakra in his feet before jumping to another tree. Despite his quick action, both chuunin felt several metal projectiles tear through their skin, breaking Shikamaru's concentration and sending them crashing twenty feet down to the ground.

Slowly rising to her feet and helping Shikamaru up, Temari glared as the two enemy ninja jumped gracefully down from their hiding place. As Temari drew her fan in a defensive pose, she turned to look at her teammate. Shikamaru was surprised to see a look of primal excitement in her face. _She enjoys this stuff way too much._

"I hear you're smart, crybaby. I can take them for a while. Figure something out."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement before carefully examining their opponents. The man he presumed had attacked them first crouched next to his teammate. He carried no weapons and was of average height. The only thing that distinguished him was his face and arms. His fingers were gnarled with scar tissue, while countless blemishes and burns distorted his expression into a permanent, hideous snarl. His eyes, however, were fierce and piercing, demonstrating inhuman sight.

Leaving part of his mind to grapple with how to take the first man down, his attention turned to the second. This man stood slightly behind his partner, back straight as an oak. He was tall, and yet thin as a rod, with bony joints and a long protruding nose. The only other special thing about him was his forest green robe. _Shit. I can't tell very much about either of them. I'm going to have to see them attack more. _Shikamaru thought for a moment before smiling grimly. Temari was surprised and annoyed to find Shikamaru step up beside her.

"Didn't you here what I said? Or do you think I can't defend myself?!?" She stopped yelling and took in a sharp breath when he only smiled slightly and put a hand gently on her shoulder.

"There's no way I am leaving you alone to fight both of them. As I've said before it's not right for a man to hide behind a womanAnd, anyways,I need to see more of their attacks before I can devise a strategy, and you dying would not help, troublesome woman." Shikamaru paused and nodded his head towards their two opponents. "Which one do you want to take?"

**He's got my back. All right then... I'll give him the one we've seen in action already. I'll take the freak in green. **"Freak in green is mine." Nodding, Shikamaru turned to examine his opponent, face distorting into an expression of scrutiny. _I need to see more of his jutsus. His first attack was strong, but I can only assume he hasn't used his trump card yet. _

The lazy chuunin snapped back to his reality as he saw the man begin to form seals. Not waiting to see what weapon the sound ninja would use, Shikamaru jumped behind a large tree and made several seals of his own. A clone sprung into existence from midair and began zigging and zagging towards the enemy's position. _Now to see if you show me another attack. ...He's making different seals, here we go. What's it gonna be? _

Several yards to Shikamaru's right, Temari was enjoying the mere thought of fighting a worthy opponent. **I'll finally be able to show Pineapple head that I can take care of myself. **To her, a challenging battle was almost as fun as making certain "tough" guys blush. However, her excitement began to dwindle and her irritation started to mount as the man in green just stood there, motionless. Picking up the dialect of her guide, Temari gritted her teeth and thought, **Cheh. How troublesome. Am I going to have to make the first move? **As if in answer, the ninja began moving... away from the battlefield.

**Ne?!? He's running away already? I know I'm intimidating, but... Not a chance a jounin of his chakra level would do that... What ARE you up to, you anorexic weirdo? **Temari gasped and she cocked an eyebrow as the sound ninja began sprinting towards the trunk of a monolithic tree. **Greeeaaatt. This guy's completely bonkers... Unnn. Why did I choose him? ** However, instead of running into the hard wood and knocking himself out like a moron, the jounin seemed to melt into the bark, leaving no trace of his whereabouts behind. Fingers itching, Temari tightly gripped her fan and smiled in anticipation. **Now things are getting interesting.**

Shikamaru still crouched in his hiding place, observing through the eyes of his clone. His imitation was steadily running closer to the first sound ninja. The man had finished making seals, had thrust out a hand with two fingers pointed forwards, and was focusing with one eye on the clone. The jounin suddenly switched eyes and pointed his fingers towards the tree which hid the real Shikamaru. _What? Somehow he knows where I am. Hm. His eyes seem to be different colors..._

The hideous ninja broke Shikamaru's concentration as he snapped his hand back like he was firing a weapon. The man was not targeting the clone. Throwing himself sideways, Shikamaru felt a hole burst in the tree.

The invisible projectile, with help from the tree's splinters, effectively tore a large hole in Shikamaru's shoulder, creating the sensation of a thousand needles ripping through flesh. Clenching his fists to keep from screaming, Shikamaru began to sweat uncontrollably. _Ok, Shika, what have we learned? _Shikamaru continued to shake with the exertion of not passing out._ It seems like he uses long range, assassination jutsus. Looks like he uses one eye to see long distances, and the other as a sort of chakra or heat sensor. SHIT! I'm out of my league. I can't get close enough to do ANYTHING. _Shikamaru sat with his back against the shattered tree trunk, trying to muster the strength to move. His breathing came in short, ragged bursts. _I'm dead if I stay here any longer. Shit._

Temari's teal eyes surveyed all her surroundings, searching for the wood ninja. She was smart enough to know that his jutsu probably did not just involve hiding in a tree. Eyebrows knitting, Temari had the feeling she was being toyed with. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end. **Where'd he go? He's waiting for an opportune moment to strike. It's like a game of cat and mouse. If I keep my wits about me, I should be able to– **

Her thoughts were disrupted as she heard a shattering sound a few yards to her left. Shikamaru sat behind what had been a huge tree, now reduced to millions of toothpicks. Her eyes widened as she saw the steady trickle of blood coming from his shoulder. "Shikamaru, are you–" Too late she realized the diversion that the other sound ninja had provided. **They're good.** She had time to half turn around before the wood jounin burst from a tree behind her and sent her flying with a kick to the stomach. Slowly rising, Temari shuddered as the ninja let out a raspy, clicking laugh.

He raised a hand and made two seals with the other. His outstretched arm began to slowly change color, until it twisted into the form of a huge, thick branch, hard gnarls turning it into an effective club. Remembering her fan, Temari sent a gust of air towards the jounin. The man pounded his wooden fist into the ground, creating an impervious shield. Temari gaped at the shield as her wind slashing technique only managed to put several pitiful scratches in it.

For the first time in a long while, Temari felt fear drown her excitement in the battle. **I'm far outmatched. I can't win. We can't win. **Body shaking uncontrollably with anger and shame at her weakness, Temari watched her opponent heft his arm. **How does a skinny guy like that lift an arm that's so heavy? **The human tree gave another inhuman laugh before charging at her again**He's much slower in his tree form... Does he really expect to hit me with that attack? Here's my chance to turn the tide. **

Temari grinned at his naiveté and started to dive away, only to find something stopping her. Temari slowly brought her gaze down to her feet and closed her eyes in horror. Two roots were coiled around her feet like monstrous snakes. **I am soooo stupid. **The wooden fist made contact again, sending her flying backwards into a tree, broken roots still attached to her feet. The wood met her back with a loud crunch, knocking the wind out of her.

Temari felt her body screaming and opened her mouth to do the same. Small droplets of blood flew through the air before splattering as they made contact with the hard ground. The sand ninja tried to rise again, but felt her strength fail her, and fell back to the ground. An expression of cool indifference plastered on his face, the wooden man slowly advanced, his club of an arm twisting into tentacles until they formed a sharp stake. The menacing spear was painful just to look at. **Shit.** **I'm toast... I wish I'd been able to– **

Instead of gruesome death, Temari felt butterflies in her stomach as she was lifted suddenly off the ground and away from certain death. Shikamaru held her bridal style and was examining her body, _presumably_ for any injuries. He touched down a hundred yards from the battlefield and set her down gently on a cushioned knoll of grass. His usual expression of indifference was replaced by a soft look. _Shit, that was close. I wonder how many times Gaara would kill me if she died..._

Temari grimaced before rising, rubbing her stomach where the punches had connected. She thought about claiming that she didn't need his help, until she saw his expression. Feeling slightly awkward, she changed the subject. "I can't take this guy, he's too strong. And from what I saw from your fight, you're outmatched too."

Looking nervously at the two sound jounin that were advancing slowly on their position, Shikamaru nodded in agreement. "We can't win here, and there would only be a slim chance of us winning in a better environment." He didn't voice his most negative concern. _I doubt that we'll survive this battle. But if I can at least save her... _"I think it's time we employ a new jutsu." Shikamaru looked up at Temari to see if she caught his drift.

"Meaning the run-like-hell no jutsu?" Shikamaru dipped his head in response. "Yeah, I think that's the best course of action at the moment." Both started to move and winced in pain at their respective injuries. Temari slung an arm around Shikamaru's shoulder and he did the same, before they began to leap away from the battlefield in their new braced position. The two sound jounin followed at a leisurely pace. After all, wounded prey is always easy to track.

Even with the danger they were currently in, Shikamaru and Temari did not fail to notice their bodies pressed against one another. Her usual fire twinkling in her eyes, Temari gave Shikamaru a fierce smile and nodded towards his hand that rested on her right shoulder.

"Oy, Crybaby. If that hand travels three inches south, I'll break your fingers." Shikamaru only rolled his eyes in response, but was reassured to see her acting like her normal self. He couldn't explain the feeling he got just looking at her, but for once in his life, he felt determined to do something. He would make sure she lived. _I have an idea..._

_(End Flashback. PHEW THAT WAS LONG)_

**Author's note: Yay, the Flashback is finally over! The next chapter is the last. What will happen? OMG, I am so excited. Oh right, I already know what's going to happen… :D **


	3. Better Than Cloud Gazing

**Author's note:****Oooo, it's the final chapter!!! Who's going to die??? I present to you all (if anyone's actually reading this…) the final chapter of BTCG: titled, well, BTCG**

Shikamaru caught sight of a large rocky clearing, devoid of trees. _It'll have to do. _Pointing it out to Temari, he redirected their course towards the only chance for their survival. With one final leap, the pair landed about thirty feet into the clearing. The dry, sandy ground offered a stark contrast to the lush forest they had just exited. Separating from each other, Shikamaru and Temari turned to see the sound ninja stop at the edge of the tree line, no doubt looking for traps. Examining her surroundings, Temari began to see why Shikamaru had led them here.

**Our last battlefield inhibited me, and gave the tree freak a huge advantage. Here it is the other way around. Back in the forest, not only did my opponent have the ability to appear from anywhere around me, but he also had control over all of the roots. Also, the trees acted as windshields, taking some of the force out of my attacks. **She glanced over at Shikamaru, impressed at how excellent an analyst he was. **He might not be the strongest shinobi, but he just might be the cleverest I have ever met.**

Shikamaru continued to examine the hostile jounin, determined to find any weaknesses he could exploit. Oblivious to the admiring look Temari shot him, Shikamaru reflected on what he hoped could help them survive. _From what I've seen, the long distance ninja's techniques are extremely deadly and accurate, but he relies on his targets being distracted. As long as we keep focused on him, we should be able to dodge his jutsus. That is where the second jounin becomes a problem. He is fairly slow, but has a knack for keeping people busy dodging him or capturing them with root things. In other words, he's the distraction. With the change of environments, he should be handicapped. Still, there has to be something more. These guys have obviously done their homework on us, so they must have something up their sleeves. _

Both sand ninja and leaf ninja broke out of their trances as the smaller of the two jounin began to form seals. Shikamaru gritted his teeth as he realized it was an attack he hadn't seen yet. Face twisting in a grotesque smile, the jounin finished his technique and was propelled backwards slightly as he released a high amount of chakra. Temari and Shikamaru saw the smoke trail coming their way and managed to dive aside as the ground where they had previously been standing was reduced to smoldering ash. Shikamaru held his injured shoulder and cursed under his breath as tiny pebbles cascaded down on his head like a barrage of bizarre rain drops. In a second, Temari was beside him, a worried expression on her face. Taking her outstretched hand, the controller of shadows rose slowly. Surprisingly, the enemy jounin had not made a move and were instead sitting on the ground watching the scene before them, as if they were at some sort of twisted movie theatre.

"That was a new attack. How many more can this guy have?" Temari gritted her teeth and frowned, ignoring Shikamaru's rhetorical question. She felt anger boiling up in her. **How can they be so calm?**

"Look at them," Temari venomously spit, never taking her eyes off the sound ninja. "It's nothing more than a game to them. They're toying with us." Taken aback at her seething fury, Shikamaru only nodded dumbly in response. Furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought, he knew there was something wrong with the position of the enemy jounin. His eyes widened. _The wood guy was on the right before the explosion. Now he's on the left. Why would they switch places? _Taking an involuntary step backwards, Shikamaru felt the tiny sharp jabs of branches. A small, insignificant desert shrub was growing in the parched soil. _Brilliant._ was all Shikamaru thought before shoving Temari hard. She landed several feet away and gave him an aggravated look. **Why the hell did he do that?**

Her question was answered as the wood ninja sprung into existence from the shrub, punching Shikamaru in the back of the head. Shikamaru recovered in midair and did a graceful somersault, landing with his body facing his assailant. As Temari staggered to her feet, the two men in front of her locked eyes for a brief moment. She didn't notice the second sound ninja's attack until a flash grenade sailed through the air before exploding at her feet and emitting blinding light and a high pitched whining. Senses crippled, head pounding, Temari sunk to her knees, trying in vain to return her vision to normality by vigorously rubbing her eyes. **No, pleeeaaase not now. He needs me. Kami, don't do this to me. NO!**

Shikamaru would have rushed to her side if he could have, but was a bit busy at the moment. Determined to keep his opponents distracted until Temari recovered, he began forming the seals for his Kage Mane no Jutsu. Before he could finish, the nature jounin grabbed his hands, pinning them together in a vice like grip. The normally impassive Shikamaru became enraged as the bony man holding him smiled smugly. _Son of a bitch. I'll give you something to smile about. _

Giving out an uncharacteristic snarl, Shikamaru aimed a forceful kick at the man's balls. And found himself unable to do so. Barely able to crane his neck, Shikamaru looked at his skin, which wasslowly changing. At first, there were only specks of brown, but soon these specks grew wider and taller. Shikamaru was only able to watch in helpless horror as his skin and clothing became overgrown with thick, rough bark. The wood jounin did not let go of his hands until the bark covered everything but Shikamaru's head. Admiring his handiwork, the jounin picked Shikamaru up and turned him around, so that he was facing the long range ninja. The lazy chuunin felt dead weight fear in the pit of his stomach as his foe spoke for the first time, in a tone that resembled dead branches scratching against a window pane.

"Konoha pig, I want you to see death coming." The man glanced over his shoulder and gave a ghastly, brittle laugh. "Apparently your little sand whore is coming to her senses. All the better, she'll get to watch you die too. Also, before you go to hell, know this," the man paused to give a look of mock pity. "None of this is personal."

Shikamaru, resisting to the end, growled and spit in his tormentor's face. The wood ninja only shrugged his shoulders and wiped the loogie from his face, before stepping back and giving a thumbs up sign to his teammate. Shikamaru tried to swivel his neck to look at Temari, but found himself unable to do so. He couldn't even have one last longing glimpse of the clouds that floated above him, unaware to the suffering of the cold world beneath them.

Shikamaru looked on from his forced vantage point, feeling a metallic emptiness gnawing away at his core. The sound ninja completed his jutsu, and an invisible bullet flew at Shikamaru's paralyzed body. Despite the fact that the projectile was traveling at the speed of sound, time slowed to a crawl for the trapped Chuunin. Watching the blurry trail that spelled out his demise, Shikamaru felt a single tear run down his cheek.

_I don't even get to see Temari one more time. I can't say goodbye to Chouji and Ino. I won't hear my mom's loud voice again. I'll never get to spend time drinking with Dad and Asuma-sensei. _A hard, bitter taste filled the leaf ninja's mouth as he realized that he wasn't going to get out of this one. The impact of the bullet shattered his brief, miserable moment. First, he felt as if he had been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer, then darkness swallowed him.

Bright white began to fade, and colors swam back into focus. The incessant buzzing in her ears ceased, and Temari found herself able to see and hear again. She caught sight of Shikamaru encased in wood, and felt as if she were moving in slow-motion. Knees weak, body heaving in exhaustion and apprehension, she dove towards her guide, willing her body to move faster than the speeding bullet. She knew that no matter what happened, one of them would die, whether she failed to get there in time or if she managed to replace his idle form with her own. **Am I really willing to die for him?**

As fate would have it, she didn't find out the answer to that question. The bullet reached it's target when she was about a foot away from him, shattering the wood that imprisoned him into millions of particles of saw dust. Blood spattered Temari's face and arms as she caught Shikamaru in mid air. Crimson leaked from an unseen wound beneath his ripped chuunin vest, and his body twitched slightly in her arms. His now sightless eyes gazed up at the clouds, as they had done so many times when he was alive. Temari sank to her knees, still cradling him in her arms. A hundred happy memories flashed through her mind: their fight during the Chuunin Exams, rescuing him from the odd girl with the flute, his expression when he had been given the task of being her guide, the hugshe'd given him on the hotel doorstep. A thousand more ideas popped into her mind, this time of things that could have happened.

Vision blurring, Temari continued to look down at him, still unwilling to believe he wouldn't get up and mutter how troublesome the situation was. **He c-can't be... **Reality finally sinking in, Temari burst into tears for the first time in a long while. The wood ninja smirked behind her, obviously thinking the emotional damage she had suffered had weakened her beyond recovery. Temari however, paid neither of her enemies any attention, instead running a hand through Shikamaru's coarse hair, which had come free of its pony tail during the last attack. Temari angrily rubbed her eyes, determined to stay strong.

**You stupid moron. How could you go and get yourself killed like that?** ...**I never got to tell you how you made me feel. ** Still sobbing slightly, Temari wiped the blood from her face before leaning down to Shikamaru's face. Closing her eyes, she pressed her soft lips against his in a gentle kiss. **Why didn't I do this earlier? **Instead of making her feel better, the sensation of his skin on hers only made her want to start crying again. Opening her eyes, she stared at his face. She realized that if she had the choice, she would do anything to switch positions with him.

Her train of dismal thought was interrupted as she heard hysterical laughter coming from across the clearing. The sniper ninja was rolling on the ground, apparently quite amused with the soap-opera-esque scene in front of him. Temari's fists clenched and she slowly rose, her sadness replaced by deep hatred. An expression of twisted rage warped her face, as she picked up her fan and turned to face Shikamaru's murderer. She let out a roar of fury that would have scared the pants off of even Gaara and unleashed her anger with one savage swing of her fan. Her technique, somehow modified by her out of control emotions, formed into a herd of see-through deer, stampeding through the air towards the sound ninja. **How did I do that?**

Gaping at the powerful jutsu headed his way, the disfigured man tried to dive out of the way and into the safety of some bushes. Too late. A hart at the front of the pack lowered its head and slammed into him, horns sending him flying head first into a tall oak tree. As the jounin's head made contact with the hard wood, his neck gave a sickening crunch and he fell to the ground like a rag-doll. Unable to contain the ire that she felt towards the man who had robbed Shikamaru of his life, she couldn't help but think: **"Let's see you laugh now."**

Distracted by her chakra-consuming one hit kill, Temari had completely forgotten about the second sound ninja behind her. Returning to Shikamaru's body, she noticed the wood jounin watching her intently, apparently expecting to have to deal with an attack like the one that had killed his teammate. A glint of what might have been fear, shone in his eyes. Exhausted, Temari tried to lift her fan and deliver a second attack, but it slipped from her shaking hands and she felt dizziness overpower her. **Shit! I used too much energy with that attack. Ugh, I can barely stand. ...I can't stop now. Not when I'm so close.**

If the wood jounin had been in the least bit scared, he had definitely gotten over it. Confidence returned to the man and he began swaggering towards Temari, who was on her knees retching, overcome with nausea. Temari's eyes could barely focus on the man, and the tall blur combined with the crunch of his feet on the loose gravel provided a sense of impending doom. She tried to grab a shuriken from her pocket, but the man caught her wrist and cackled at her pitiful attempt. Grabbing her chin with his long, bony fingers, he lifted her face until she was forced to look into his cold eyes.

"Well, little sand bitch. You gave us quite a run for our money, didn't you? I doubt that Daraboushi will be using his gift anymore, if he is still alive, that is. Oh and you were so close. Dissappointing, isn't it? You may not be as weak as your body suggests, but you are not a match for someone like me." Releasing her chin, he stroked the side of her face, making her shudder in revulsion. "Now, shall I kill you straight off? Or have a little fun first?" Temari shut her eyes, trying to block out the horrors that were sure to follow. **Shikamaru...**

Shikamaru thought he heard words being spoken. _Impossible. Remember? I died. _The sound continued._ Shut up, I'm trying to be dead in peace. _Still, the voices refused to let him be, and even started to become clearer. Both voices were distinctive. Memories started to flood back to him. _One is definitely Temari's. The other... is the creepy wood ninja guy. He helped kill me. _

Soon, his other senses began to return to him. He tasted and smelled the tangy flavor of blood in his mouth, felt the rough stones beneath his back, and last of all, caught sight of the wood Jounin leaning down to kiss Temari, while she weakly tried to push him away. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest, Shikamaru stumbled to his feet, hands shaking with a mixture of exertion and rage. The sound ninja's back was to him, and was too caught up in Temari to notice that the leaf ninja was quietly forming seals behind him. As he finished the last hand gesture, Shikamaru decided to make his presence known.

"Kage-mane no Jutsu!" He watched in satisfaction as the jounin's eyes bugged out and he found himself unable to move. Temari was watching him incredulously, fearing that she had died and this was all a dream. Moving his arms as if he were the one holding Temari, Shikamaru made the man release her gently. _Hn. I feel like Naruto, making a flashy entrance and whatnot. _Shikamaru's voice was slurred with pain, but its message was clear enough.

"It's not right for a man to do such things to a woman without her consent. Go to hell, scum bag." With that he nodded to Temari, who was gripping a kunai and had shaken off her disbelief. The wood ninja could only watch with wide eyes as the woman he'd been harassing plunged the knife into the middle of his bony chest. He let out out a piercing shriek and crumpled to the ground.

Releasing the sound spy from his technique, Shikamaru found a new hair tie and put his hair up before walking to Temari, trying to keep his eyes off of the murky white blood that spewed from the dying man. At last, he gave one last spasm and was still. Shikamaru cupped Temari's cheek and asked if she was all right.

"I'm perfectly fine. But, how...?" Temari pointed to the wound on his chest, which Shikamaru had barely noticed since he'd woken up. The leaf chuunin rubbed his chin in thought, obviously as puzzled as she was.

" Hmm, good question. I thought I was worm food." Shikamaru gingerly felt around the hole, wincing at the pain it brought him. His hands found the answer. In the pouch that the bullet had pierced, a shuriken had a large dent in it. Grinning sheepishly at Temari, he realized that the sound ninja's attack had hit the pocket which he kept weapons in, and had ricocheted off the shuriken before lodging in one of his ribs. What would have been a fatal blow was instead a mere flesh wound.

Shikamaru held up the lucky shuriken for Temari to see before kissing it and putting it in back in his pocket. _Ironic for a weapon to save lives instead of taking them away. _Temari began to comprehend what had gone on, and suddenly started yelling at him.

"You mean you were just unconscious that whole time? You left me to deal with two jounin on my own? YOU MORON-CRYBABY!!!" She punctuated her remark by slapping him upside the head. Shikamaru rubbed his the back of his neck and glared in annoyance. Temari could not help but giggle slightly. **He's so cute when he's like that.**

"Ne, troublesome woman. Did I not just save your ass? Who knows what that weird guy would have done to you if I hadn't been there..." Shikamaru paused as his chest and shoulder continued to throb. Temari caught his look of pain and gently touched his arm. **He's lost a lot of blood, how is he even still standing. **

"Hey Pineapple head, I think I should dress your wounds. You look even paler than normal." With that, she unzipped his ruined chuunin vest and started to cut his shirt away with a kunai, careful not to cut him. Shikamaru gave her a small, coy smile as he caught her ogling his pecs.

"Ha, you just want an excuse to get my shirt off, don't you?" Grunting in annoyance she shoved him to the ground and bound his two injuries, poking his wounds lightly every time he tried get her to stop. Searching for a distraction from the embarrassing situation they were in, Shikamaru gave her a puzzled look. "Hey what happened after I got knocked out? Where did that other creepy guy go?"

The woman beside him blushed as she remembered all the events that had transpired while he was out cold. Looking away, she muttered a simple response.

"I took care of him. I told you; I can handle myself." Sneaking a furtive glance at his face, she posed a question of her own as her hands finished tying the last bandage. "Sooooo... You really don't remember anything that happened while you were in zonked out?" He shook his head and cocked it to the side examining her closely. _What else happened? _He continued to stare up at her in quizzical silence at Temari who seemed to be having a heated inner battle with herself. Finally she looked up at him, and for a moment he thought he saw a hint of shyness in her pretty eyes. Then she was grinning suggestively at him, a hand on his uninjured shoulder.

"Well, then I guess I owe you another one of these..." Slowly, Temari bent down and brushed her lips against his, sending shivers down his spine. Shikamaru felt the pains in his chest and shoulder melt away for the time being. Determined not to just stand there like an idiot as he'd done the previous night, Shikamaru sat up, snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into another kiss. To his satisfaction, she did not pull away, or call him a pervert and smack him. _Maybe troublesome women are worth it. _Lips leaving his for a brief moment, Temari savagely pushed him back to the ground before climbing atop him, a leg on either side of his waist. She grinned down at him and tugged his hair tie off before swooping back into the fray. **Just like beneath that tree. ...I wonder if Kankurou's having as good a time as I am... **

She absentmindedly traced her name on his chest gently with two fingers, enjoying her dominance. Shikamaru was not about to succumb, however._I won't lose that easily. _His tongue forced its way into Temari's mouth, eliciting a groan of pleasure from her. Taking this opportunity, Shikamaru grabbed her hips and rolled over so that he was on top, grinning down at her in turn. "Having fun?" She breathlessly moaned before punching him in the stomach and rolling over again.

They continued making out until, finally, as the sun went down, they lay side by side. Head resting on Shikamaru's chest, Temari gazed in wonder at the beautiful pink, red and orange clouds that formed the magnificent sunset. "I'm beginning to see why you like watching the clouds so much..." she murmured, still hypnotized by all the colors. Shikamaru, however, was not watching the sunset. Eyes focused on the turquoise orbs that belonged to Temari, he gave her a soft squeeze and nuzzled the top of her head.

"I like it, but there are some things that are better than cloud gazing." Temari looked up at him and smiled softly, before closing her eyes. _Some things are much better. _Shikamaru gave one last smile and dozed off.

**Author's note: Well, this story was really fun to write. It took me only nine days, but I worked about four hours a day (I have no life!!!). The music I listened to gave me a lot of inspiration, so if you're curious I uploaded a soundtrack to this story on my profile. Thank you for reading, and if you liked it, I'll be starting on another story soon (although I have no idea what it will be about…) **


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